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Expansion in 2017-18?


dlbalr

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One of the highlights from the Board of Governors meeting today was that the league will officially open a formal expansion process where interested ownership groups make formal proposals for a team. Formal expressions of interest will be made from July 6th to August 10th.

It's expected that the expansion fee would be at least $500 million, not including any fees associated with applying for consideration. The earliest the new team(s) would play would be the 2017-18 season.

Reps from Las Vegas, Quebec City, and Markham have already said they'll be applying. Seattle is also likely to apply while Portland is a darkhorse candidate in my opinion. It'll be interesting to see if this brings any new cities to the forefront as well.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl-approves-opening-expansion-process-1.316896

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32 teams and a balanced sched. Plus the nhl puts a billion dollars in their pockets. What is not too like? Oh let's not talk about watering down the talent. Let's not talk about the teams that aren't doing so well now. No siree let's go get that billion.

Ah what the heck, we'll have another couple of doormats for the backup goalie to play.

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I'm an outlier in wanting no part of the Nordiques; I see that as a huge pain in the ass for the Habs. But living as I do in the Vancouver area, I'm cowabunga for a team in Seattle. They'd instantly become my second favourite team just to drive the locals crazy; and I even have a name for them - THE SEATTLE SOCKEYE!!

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Ditto regarding the no dicks. Hated them more than the bruins and leafs in the eighties. I don't want to go back to a media war between who has the most and best french players.

I'm an outlier in wanting no part of the Nordiques; I see that as a huge pain in the ass for the Habs. But living as I do in the Vancouver area, I'm cowabunga for a team in Seattle. They'd instantly become my second favourite team just to drive the locals crazy; and I even have a name for them - THE SEATTLE SOCKEYE!!

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Ditto regarding the no dicks. Hated them more than the bruins and leafs in the eighties. I don't want to go back to a media war between who has the most and best french players.

Well said! I completely agree. Most people look at me in incomprehension when I say things like that, though.

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As someone who's too young to remember the Nordiques, I'm 100% for them. Think having that team in Quebec would reduce a little pressure from Montreal needing to be that MOAR FRENCH team. Might even be able to have an english coach :o

And I'd rather see teams in Quebec city, Seattle, and Las Vegas over Arizona.

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As someone who's too young to remember the Nordiques, I'm 100% for them. Think having that team in Quebec would reduce a little pressure from Montreal needing to be that MOAR FRENCH team. Might even be able to have an english coach :o

Would it? Or would the pressure be to match or beat the amount of Francophone content on the Nordiques?

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As someone who's too young to remember the Nordiques, I'm 100% for them. Think having that team in Quebec would reduce a little pressure from Montreal needing to be that MOAR FRENCH team. Might even be able to have an english coach :o

And I'd rather see teams in Quebec city, Seattle, and Las Vegas over Arizona.

i don't think there was any pressure for montreal to have an english coach or GM until the Nordiques joined the NHL. So i disagree. Especially with the Quebec nationalist owner.

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Would it? Or would the pressure be to match or beat the amount of Francophone content on the Nordiques?

THIS is exactly what happened last time. Don't kid yourself, Meller. All the Nordiques will do is ratchet up the insanity that follows the Habs around.

We have nothing to gain by the return of this wretched organization.

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Would it? Or would the pressure be to match or beat the amount of Francophone content on the Nordiques?

i think Molson would feel more pressure. No more beer wars, but still feel the pressure.

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i think Molson would feel more pressure. No more beer wars, but still feel the pressure.

What's doubly worrisome is that Molson has already shown himself to be panicky and subject to fan/media influence on these issues - as when he threw Cunneyworth under the bus (and then quite possibly forcing Zoot to sign Briere). One francophone star in Quebec, and the Habs will be under almost unbearable amounts of pressure to match them. That way lies wasted picks on francophone busts, destructive trades for washed up Lecavaliers, etc. Be afraid.

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Would it? Or would the pressure be to match or beat the amount of Francophone content on the Nordiques?

i don't think there was any pressure for montreal to have an english coach or GM until the Nordiques joined the NHL. So i disagree. Especially with the Quebec nationalist owner.

THIS is exactly what happened last time. Don't kid yourself, Meller. All the Nordiques will do is ratchet up the insanity that follows the Habs around.

We have nothing to gain by the return of this wretched organization.

i think Molson would feel more pressure. No more beer wars, but still feel the pressure.

I'll bow to more experienced judgement, as I said, I didn't experience the first rivalry, and figured with Quebec City being the more dominant french speaking city, the needs of the Quebec pride would be satiated by the Nordiques. Of course I can see it working against the Habs as well now that you bring it to light

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If I was handing out franchises it'd be expansions to milwaukee and Seattle, relocate Arizona to Las Vegas and Florida to Quebec.

Exactly the teams I would relocate. Any idea why the league is holding on to Arizona so hard specifically?

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As much as I would like to see more Canadian teams, I really don't want to see a new franchise in Quebec, for all the reasons mentioned by the wise posters.

Would like to see another in GTA area though... :monkey:

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As much as I would like to see more Canadian teams, I really don't want to see a new franchise in Quebec, for all the reasons mentioned by the wise posters.

Would like to see another in GTA area though... :monkey:

I'm with you 100% on that.

But it's inevitable Quebec gets a team again. They have the owner, the arena and the money.

Exactly the teams I would relocate. Any idea why the league is holding on to Arizona so hard specifically?

A couple reasons:

1. Gary Bettman has said it's part of his legacy.

2. Arizona is a huge market for national TV. Even if their ratings are low, it's easier for NHL to get better TV contracts if they have a presence in one of the 10 biggest markets in the U.S.

3. My speculation is that they want one team in the desert and if they have to leave Arizona, they want to have Nevada there. Either they relocate to Nevada with the Coyotes or they expand to Nevada and then relocate the Coyotes to somewhere else in the United States.

Personally I'm not against there being a hockey team in Arizona. My problem is a hockey team in Glendale. The talk that the Phoenix Suns are trying to get a new arena built in Phoenix, I'd be happy to see the Coyotes abandon Glendale and work with the Suns on that. Put the team in downtown Phoenix with an arena built for basketball and hockey and that will grow the attention of the team. When they first moved to Phoenix they had a terrible arena that wasn't made for hockey at all. They moved to Glendale because football plays there and that doesn't work for hockey. In only the most rare of circumstances should a sports arena be outside of the downtown core. The Ottawa Senators make work in Kanata but they shouldn't be in Kanata.

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Bogged down in rivalries? You are joking?

Yes fans hate those match ups, maybe can convince Bettman to arrange it so that Habs not play Leafs or Bruins next year? And add in New Jersey & LA instead.

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